Video | Giant alligator with 'body in mouth' shocks Florida locals

Florida, US

In a startling incident, a massive 13-foot alligator in Florida drew attention after it was allegedly seen carrying what appeared to be human remains. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office swiftly responded to reports of a body in a waterway near 134th Avenue North and 121st Street in Ridgecrest, Florida. Collaborating with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, authorities took the necessary steps to "humanely kill" the enormous alligator. Media reports said that there was blood near the alligator. 

What did the eyewitness say?

JaMarcus Bullard, an eyewitness, reportedly recounted to Spectrum Bay News 9 about his shocking observation, stating, "I could tell there was a body in his mouth, so I started recording." Bullard promptly reported the incident to the fire department.

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"I threw a rock at the gator just to see if it was really a gator and like it pulled the body, like it was holding on to the lower part of the torso, and pulled it under the water," Bullard said. The discovery has left some locals unsettled. A local, Jennifer Dean, told a media outlet that her children frequently walk by the canal.

Bullard also mentioned that he typically walks along the waterway during his commute to work but added that he will now exercise greater caution in the future.

Terri Williams, who happened to be in the vicinity when the event unfolded, expressed her astonishment at the presence of an alligator in the area.

She said, "I would've never dreamt that an alligator would be in this area." 

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"Of course, I know there’s a lake across the street, and I know about the lake in Taylor Park, but not in this neighborhood. No, I would have never thought that," she added. 

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In an official statement, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office confirmed the discovery of an adult's remains in the vicinity. The medical examiner's office is slated to conduct an autopsy in order to ascertain the cause of death.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has not released additional details about the incident.